Swords and Magic
by Kinsutenekochan
Summary: Karou's life has changed forever, and she is not sure if she is happy about it. Kindof a two shot that will probably go longer after I figure out the rest. Loosely based on an original story of mine that will probably never be published.
1. Chapter 1

I gripped my Bokken hard enough my hand ached as I sprinted around a corner into a shadowed alleyway. Blood pounded in my ears, nearly drowning out the scornful taunts of the _thing_ chasing me.

"You can't escape me, little squirrel." My breath caught on a sob as fear spurred my aching legs into even greater speeds. Skidding through a puddle, I dived into another alleyway, My mind racing to find a way out of this mess. Stumbling out into a road, I cursed under my breath. Not a car in sight.

"Just my luck..." I muttered, frantically trying not to think about the _thing_ that was quickly gaining on me. A low chuckle set me off again and I dashed across the street to the half demolished buildings on the other side. My side was burning but I didn't dare stop again.

"Come on, little squirrel, I just want a taste. You smell so good, all that raw untapped power in such a lovely package." I fought back the whimper that rose to my lips as I ducked around an overflowing old dumpster, trying desperately not to slip on the rotting garbage. Another quick turn and I slammed into something solid and warm, tumbling to the ground on top of it.

"Oro!?" The strange sound distracted me for a moment and I realized with growing horror that I had knocked someone over. I had a brief glimpse of long vividly red hair and surprised violet eyes before I remembered the thing chasing me.

"G..gumendesai!" I gasped, scrambling to my feet as I glanced behind over my shoulder warily. I could still feel him, he was much closer now, but there was no sign of him in the shadows. Another low chuckle vibrated through the air and I shuddered, tightening my grip on my Bokken instinctively. "Sumimasen!" I whimpered, darting around the fallen stranger, but before I had taken more than a couple steps a hand caught my arm in a powerful grip.

"Wait, are you alright?" I stared at the man I had knocked over in surprise, catching the genuine concern in his oddly deep voice. He was only a few inches taller than me, and his slight frame gave no hint of the impressive strength I could feel in the firm hand on my wrist. His face was almost feminine, saved from perfection by a rather distinctive cross shaped scar on his left check. But his eyes were what caught me, dark violet and filled with mysterious shadows for someone who looked only a little older than me. Then an eerie laugh echoed down the dark street and I quickly shook off the compelling spell of his gaze.

"I'm fine, let me go!" I hissed frantically, tugging hard on my captured arm. For a moment he hesitated, his grip loosening just a bit, but before I could break free that horrible laugh twined around them. His eyes went wide and his grip automatically tightened.

"What..." He began, but that awful voice interrupted him.

"Why, thank you, good sir. You caught my little Squirrel for me!" I whimpered softly as fear fought with rage in my chest, still trying to pull away from the unfortunate man who held me prisoner. I didn't want him to get killed just because I had been too distracted to watch where I was going. A shadow stepped away from the building behind me and I whirled around to see a massive man whose rough face was covered with a dark scruffy beard, his dark cold eyes shining with glee. A bared katana gleamed in his left hand, his right clearly crippled and bleeding. "Time to pay your debt to me, squirrel. You owe me for what you did to my hand."

"Ha!" I snarled, momentarily giving up trying to free myself so that I could glare at him. Fear crept up my spine at his greedy sneer but I quickly fought it back. I might run, but I refuse to cower in front of him! "You attacked me, Gohei Hiruma! All I did was defend myself! He chuckled, clearly amused by my show of temper. Suddenly, between one moment and the next, he was standing right in front of me. I flinched and noticed with a strange mix of relief and horror that my captor's grip had loosened. Yanking my arm out of his hand, I just managed to get my Bokken up in time to block his swing. The sheer power behind the blow send me flying back into the wall behind me and I nearly collapsed as pain flared all over my back. Before I could catch my breath, he was on me again, his mangled hand lifting me into the air by my training gi.

"Now for a taste of that power of yours, squirrel." He growled, and magic pulsed from him in a sickly wave of shadow, sinking into my skin like oil. A shrill scream tore from my throat as agony ripped trough me, tearing me apart from the inside out. My vision went dark at the edges as I desperately struggled to get away from him, but even with his hand mangled, his grip was like iron. With the last of my strength, I lifted my Bokken in a last effort to break his hold. But before I could slam it into his hand, a blur of red flashed in the corner of my eye and Gohei released me with a cry of pain. I crumpled to the ground, clutching my heart with my free hand and trying to get a deep breath as the agony began to fade. Forcing my eyes open, I choked in surprise.

The stranger I had run into stood between me and Gohei, a strange looking katana in held in an expert grip.

"This one is not sure what is going on, but this one cannot just stand aside and let you hurt this young woman." His voice was deeper than before, and there was a dark tone to it that scared me more than Gohei. Yet somehow, I felt...safe, protected, in a way I hadn't experienced for over a year.

"You might want to stay out of this, Shorty. That 'young woman' you are foolishly protecting is a potential sorceress that just awakened into her magic this morning. I discovered her first, and I claim a right to her power." Rage flared in my chest at his words but that horrible spell he had used on me had sapped my strength. I couldn't even find the will to sit up, let alone stand. And Sorceresses were widely feared throughout Japan, even newly awakened ones like me.

"This one does not care what she is, you will not hurt her further." I gaped at his back, shocked by his casual acceptance. If I had learned anything over the course of this increasingly awful day, it was the fact that everyone cared what I was. I had lost more friends this morning than I had lost in years of being a tomboy who taught swordsmanship. For a stranger to willingly defend me, knowing what I had unwillingly become, was unthinkable. Yet he was. Warmth flared in my heart and the lingering ache from Gohei's spell faded away. Carefully, I pushed myself up, barely managing to keep myself sitting. Gohei growled, lifting his sword to attack, and the red head crouched in response, clearly prepared to fight to protect me.

"Auntie Karou? What are you doing sitting on the ground?" I froze in horror at the tentative question and my head jerked up to see a familiar little girl staring in confusion at the odd scene, standing only a few feet away from Gohei. The sharp grin on Gohei's face was all the warning I needed. The world around me seemed to slow to a crawl as Gohei lunged for the girl. My mind went blank with terror, except for one single frantic thought. Protect Ayume!

Gohei only managed to take one step, the red head desperately lunging after him, before I managed to raise my Bokken and slam it with all my strength against the ground. Power exploded from the wooden sword, a blinding white wall of raw magic that exploded in every direction. As my vision began to grey, too much power, too soon, no control, I don't even know what I did, I dimly noticed the red head leaping up out of the way, his eyes wide with shock and glowing a brilliant gold. Odd, I thought his eyes were violet. I had time to see Gohei's eyes go wide with surprise and fear before darkness pounced, dragging me into its inescapable embrace.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey everyone! I know I should be working on my Fruits basket short but this one wouldn't leave me alone! I am planning on doing more with this story, but I haven't written it yet. ^_^; I write for my own enjoyment, but if you would be kind enough to give me your opinion so that I can try to do better, I would really appreciate it! Arigato and Enjoy!**_

 _ **(Just FYI, I have Misao married to Aoshi already, sorry! And there are definate romance plans for Kenshin and Karou as well as Sano and Megumi. I am hoping Yahiko and Tsubume will show up, but like I said, I haven't figured everything out yet. This also shouldn't end up being longer than five to ten chapters, it may not even get that far, but we will see.)**_

Chapter 2

"Come on, Kenshin, you can not possibly be serious!" A loud voice cut through the fog that filled my mind, pulling me reluctantly from the comforting blanket of darkness that had held me captive.

"Sano, you of all people should know that This one would never make this kind of story up." Groggily, I tried to figure out why the second, much quieter, voice was somehow familiar, especially when I didn't recognize the names they were using.

"That little Missy destroyed an _entire block_ of abandoned buildings with _one_ spell and _no one_ but that Leech got hurt? And the Leech _survived_?" That incredulous statement drove the last of the darkness from my brain and I jerked awake, a massive headache slamming between my temples the moment I opened my eyes. A weak groan tore from my lips as I feebly slapped my hands over my abused eyes, trying unsuccessfully to block out the bright sunlight that had nearly blinded me.

"She's awake!" I groaned louder at the unfamiliar cheerful earsplitting yell that seemed to come from right next to my ear, nearly doubling the agony pounding into my skull.

"Misao-kun, there was no need to yell." My eyes snapped open at another much more familiar voice and I quickly looked over my shoulder to see Megumi, one of my only remaining friends and a very skilled Healer, bending over me. She met my eyes and smiled reassuringly for a moment before resting her blissfully cool hand on my forehead. I collapsed back onto the pillow, only then realizing that I was on a bed in Megumi's clinic.

"How long was I out?" I croaked, closing my eyes again as pain continued to jab into them.

"Almost two days. That was extremely reckless, even for you, Kamiya. What were you thinking?!" Megumi demanded, thankfully keeping her voice low after I winced. I was silent for a long moment as that horrible image flashed before my eyes.

"He went after Ayume-chan, Megumi." I whispered, a touch of remembered horror creeping into my voice. She stiffened instantly, and I carefully cracked one eye open to see her staring at me with that same horror reflected on her face. Slowly, I let my lips curve in a small triumphant smile. She shook her head quickly, clearly trying to banish that horrible thought and scowled at me.

"Regardless, only awakened for a few hours and combined with a very nasty Leech spell, you were lucky you didn't kill yourself. You must learn control! If you would stop being so stubborn about this, you wouldn't have been forced to deal with a Leech like Gohei Hiruma alone!" She snarled, and I stiffened defensively.

"I never asked for this, Megumi, I don't care if it is my Mother's heritage or not. Its not fair to wake up one morning, begin a morning Kata and explode with inexplicable power and crazy abilities I don't even understand!" I sat up, fury adding to the horrible pounding in my skull as I glared at her. She growled back, her eyes flashing dangerously. Another wave of pain slammed between my eyes and I fell back with a muffled moan, one fist clenched against my aching head. The room was quiet for a moment before I felt Megumi's cool touch on my forehead again. I relaxed a little when I felt a trickle of power wash soothingly through my head as she gently stroked her fingers across my forehead.

"Very few of us truly ask for this, Karou. And I know this is just one more thing on top of a very difficult year for you. But we cannot change the past. You were the one who first said that to me, remember? Everyone has things in their past that they don't want to talk about. Running away from that will cause you nothing but more pain." She murmured softly. I bit my lip, hating the tears that filled my eyes at her words.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it." I mumbled, desperately trying to hold the tears back. I had vowed not to cry in front of anyone a year ago, I would not break that vow now. _No matter how much I want to._ The sound of someone clearing their throat uncomfortably cut through the silence and I went very still, cursing myself for forgetting that there were others in the room. Megumi tsked grumpily.

"Yes, I haven't forgotten the three of you, calm down. Give me a moment, then you can talk to her. And you will not push her too hard, or you will undo all of my hard work." She stated firmly and I swallowed hard. Despite everything, I couldn't bring myself to look around until Megumi stepped back with a reluctant sigh. "That should do for now, Karou, I'll be back in a little while with some broth. I had a hard time getting anything solid into you, so you are going to need the nutrients." I nodded carefully, relieved to see that most of the pain was suppressed. It wouldn't last long, but the temporary relief was welcome. I slowly sat up, watching her glare warningly at the other people in the room before she slid open the door, closing it softly behind her. My eyes meet a vaguely familiar pair of violet ones and my breath caught in my throat.

"You!" I gasped out and nearly jumped out of my skin when someone burst out laughing next to me.

"See? I told you she would remember you, Himura!" A young girl was perched on the chair next to my bed, only a year or so younger than I was. Her hair was pulled back in an unusually long braid, and her dark blue eyes gleamed with mischief. Her mouth was stretched in a wide grin and she winked playfully at me. I recognized her voice as the one who yelled that I was awake. She wore an odd outfit, with loose shorts cut off above her rather shapely thighs, an odd short sleeved gi, and tabi that were wrapped and tied up to her knees. A ninja, or at least one in training.

"Ano..." I murmured, feeling very off balance. The red haired stranger who had helped me let out a long suffering sigh as he shook his head slowly. I glanced at him and my eyes paused on the man standing beside him. One of the tallest men I had ever seen, he stood almost a full head and shoulders above the red haired man. He wore the street clothes of a fighter for hire, with a red band tied around his head and brown hair that stuck straight up like a roosters. Oddly enough, I actually recognized him from the rumors that had been going around.

"What do a master swordsman, a ninja, and the infamous Zanza want with someone as unimportant as me?" I stated smoothly, not quite managing to hide the nerves in my voice. The girl ninja laughed again, clapping with delight.

"Oh, I like her, Himura-san! You have a good head on your shoulders. You will probably need it in the future." She crowed, her grin somehow growing even wider. The red head groaned and rubbed his eyes, clearly tired of this whole mess.

"Forgive this one, we did not have time for names when we met, and it has been chaos ever since. This one is called Himura Kenshin, a Rorouni. As you apparently know, this is Sagara Sanosuke, more commonly known as Zanza. And this is Shinamori Misao, second in command of the Oniwaban ninjas. This one and these two were in Tokyo as a...favor for a certain policeman when this one stumbled into your...problem." I swallowed nervously and glanced at the carefree girl next to me. Second in command of the most well known organization of ninjas in Japan. Appearances can truly be deceiving.

"I am Kamiya Karou, assistant Master and acting instructor of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Dojo." The startled looks they all wore were rather gratifying, but this still didn't explain why they were here.

"This one is here make you an offer, Karou-dono. While this one is ignorant of the details of your life, the power you wield is impressive. This one does not wish to see that power stolen or lost. This one is familiar with several who could help and protect you from others like the Leech who attacked you. Also, accepting this one's help would shield Karou-dono from those within the government who would use your power for acts that this one believes you would find...horrible." My first reaction was anger. _How dare he assume I can not take care of myself!_ Then I reluctantly remembered how we had met. With a Bokken, I was in my element and in control. With my newly awakened abilities...I was helpless. And this time it wouldn't have been myself alone who would have died because of my pride. _Megumi will be thrilled._

"I...am not comfortable with my new...abilities, Himura-san. I do understand that I need to learn more about them, but...my life as I have known it has changed forever." I explained slowly, absently picking at a rip in my hakama. His amused chuckle surprised me and I looked at him curiously, our eyes locking. His eyes were warm with sympathy and something else I couldn't quite name. But it made my stomach clench with warmth.

"This one understands, that he does, more than you think, Karou-dono. Perhaps it would help to think of it this way. If you could command this power at will, control it and master it, just like that Bokken you wield, think of how many you could protect. How many you could save. There are many more creatures like the Leech you captured. And they do not care who they hurt." I blinked at him in surprise. The purpose behind these abilities had never crossed my mind before. And clearly this man knew just what to say to make this whole situation actually bareable. I sighed, feeling my headache returning with a vengeance.

"I understand, Himura-san. I need some time to think about the rest, but for now, I would like a Sensei. Who would I be learning from?" I asked softly, feeling like I was being yanked into a whole new world I knew nothing about. The Rurouni stood, a strangely triumphant little smile curving his lips.

"This one will be your Sensei, Karou-dono."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello again! I want to thank everyone who reviewed and favorited this story, it was a wonderful surprise! I haven't been able to really write anything for the last few years because of several different things happening at once. So it is really nice to hear that you liked this! So I decided to do my best to keep this story going, several reviewers asked for more and I am happy to oblige! I also have five more fanfic ideas I am playing with and maybe I can start one of them soon. Most of them are Ruroken fics, because this is my absolute favorite Manga, but I am hoping to try some other manga that I love. And yes, I am still working on my Fruits Basket three-shot, I hit some major writers block on that one right before I began this one.**_

 ** _Anyway, thanks again and enjoy!_**

 ** _(Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin! I am only borrowing them for a time to play and would never try to make money from my enjoyment.)_**

Chapter 3

Megumi refused to let me leave until she was certain I had recovered from overreaching myself, so I ended up staying at the clinic for another night. Himura-san and the others left me alone after he revealed that he was going to teach me how to use my new...abilities. The most interesting part was that Zanza and Misao-san had been surprised at his declaration. As if that detail had not been part of their original plan. _Curious._ I stared up at the shadows on the ceiling, my headache only a vague irritation now.

 _Nothing makes sense anymore._ Lying there in the dark, my determination from earlier was fading and the terrible loneliness I had come to know over the past year began to creep back. I rolled over, burying my face in my pillow, and let the tears come this time. Silent sobs shook my shoulders as I cried, everything that had gone wrong running through my mind.

 _I have lost so much. So much._ I let myself cry for only a few moments before trying to regain control. The tears would never stop if I let everything overwhelm me again. I sat up, wiping my eyes quickly. I needed to move, there was too much pounding around in my head for sleep now. Standing up, I ignored the way the room spun around me and scooped up my Bokken as I slowly slid open the door.

The hall was deserted, only the shadows cast by the moon visible in the darkness. Silently sliding the door shut behind me, I crept to the shoji at the opposite end of the hall. The whisper of it opening was nearly inaudible as a brisk night breeze caressed my face. Just as I remembered from many social visits to Megumi, there was a small walled off area just outside, perfectly illuminated by the full moon. Drawing in a deep refreshing breath, I felt my lips curve as I stepped down into the spare set of zori and walked out into the moon light.

Lifting my Bokken, I closed my eyes and centered myself. For a long moment I let peace flow through me, washing the memories away. Then I swung into one of the basic katas, losing myself in the smooth movements.

The pleasant but increasingly persistent burn in my muscles brought me back to earth and I finished the last form of the kata with a reluctant sigh. Megumi was right, as always. That strange spell had taken a lot more out of me than I thought. Usually I could complete several Katas before my body began to protest.

"It is not safe to wonder by yourself at night, that it is not." I choked back a scream and my body acted on its own, years of training sending my Bokken spinning around in a blur.

"Oro!" I felt my jaw drop in shock as I stared at the Rorouni behind me, his blade gleaming in the moonlight. _He blocked my strike so easily._ Well, I already knew he was a master swordsman. But that was not what had truly caught my attention. Yesterday I had noticed that his Katana looked odd, but I hadn't figured out what was wrong with it until now.

"What is that katana?" I breathed in surprise, bending my elbows to bring the unusual blade closer. The curved edge that was against my Bokken was rounded and dull, clearly not meant for cutting. But the back of the blade was razor sharp. I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"It can't kill." I looked past the blade and met those dark amethyst eyes, my heart beginning to pound as strange gold sparks swirled to the surface in those bottomless depths. He carefully pushed my Bokken to one side and stepped back, his bangs swinging forward to hide his eyes.

"Yes. It can't kill anyone. A Sakabato."

"Why?" He chuckled, an odd dark tone to his voice, as he slowly sheathed the blade.

"This unworthy one has made a vow to never kill again. Too many have lost their lives at this one's hands." Somehow, instead of scaring me, his soft explanation only made me more curious. Unfortunately, my legs chose that moment to buckle. I cursed in frustration, trying to catch myself before I sprawled in the dirt at his feet. Instead I fell against a warm chest, two hands gripping my waist firmly. I felt heat flood my face, unusually aware of every inch of my skin.

"A..arigato.." I stammered softly and felt a shiver race down my spine at his low chuckle. His warm breath skimmed the back of my neck and I struggled not to gasp as an unfamiliar but pleasant warmth flooded my limbs. _This is not the time to discover you are attracted to the man, Kamiya_! I screamed at myself, trying desperately to ignore the firm muscles pressed against my back, or the strength I could feel in the hands at my waist.

I stepped away quickly, refusing to acknowledge how his hands had tightened a little before releasing me. I only made it one more step before my legs buckled again and this time he swung me up into his arms before I could even open my mouth to yell.

 _Kami, this man is fast!_ I swallowed hard as he smiled at me, his eyes twinkling with humor.

"Shall this unworthy one help you back to your room, Karou-dono?" I nodded wordlessly, too surprised by my personal revelation that I was attracted to a man I had only met a day ago to form a proper protest. He paused at the Shoji to remove my zori as well as his own and I thankfully had the presence of mind to slide it open for him. He raised an eyebrow at me as he stepped inside, somehow closing the shoji behind us without dropping me and also without me even seeing him move.

 _As if I really needed a reminder of just how quickly he can move._ Once again, this hint at what he could really do should have terrified me. Instead, I found myself watching him out of the corner of my eye in fascination as I caught even more subtle clues about his true skill. _Who or what had he been before? What happened?_ Even my father, Master of his own Ryu and a seasoned veteran of war, did not have near the grace, speed or strength this Rorouni possessed. The same skill that he put on a mask to conceal from the world.

 _"This unworthy one has made a vow to never kill again."_ His words chased around my head and I shook them off as he reached my room, sliding open the door for him before he did it himself again. He paused this time, once again lifting an eyebrow with a small smirk. I folded my arms and scowled at him, trying to forget the blush still staining my cheeks.

"Just because I wore myself out enough that I can't walk doesn't mean I am completely helpless, Sensei. I don't expect you to do all the work, no matter how strong or fast you are." Both eyebrows rose at that and a wary look flashed across his face. Surprised, I blinked at him for a moment. _So he didn't know how much he was letting me see._ _Interesting._ Feeling oddly proud of myself, I smiled innocently at him. He snorted, stepping into the room and over to the bed. I fought to hide how my skin tingled at the gentle way he sat me down on it, and deliberately ignored how cold I felt when he stepped back.

 _This man is dangerous. In more ways than one._ I thought grimly, fighting the urge to rub my arms as they continued to tingle. _This is definitely not the time or place for this! And likely never will be, not with him._ I bowed my head as a strange sense of loss swirled in my chest.

"-dono?" I jerked out of my head and smiled up at him sheepishly.

"Gumen, what was that?" He cocked his head to one side, his gaze suddenly sharpening.

"Are you alright? This one meant to ask before, why were you out of bed?" I shifted uncomfortably, playing with the ties on my hakama as I searched for a simple answer that wouldn't tell him a lot more about me than I wanted him to know yet.

"I couldn't sleep." His eyes hardened and I tried not to gulp in response.

"Karou-dono." The steel he sunk into my name made my heart skip a beat. Biting my lip, I quickly looked down at my hands that were still nervously fiddling in my lap.

"A lot has happened to me in the last year, Himura-san. Too much. When everything begins to overwhelm me, I need to let it out somehow or I will break." I whispered. The room was silent for a long moment but I refused to look at him, refused to let him see what I was bottling up inside. Suddenly his warm hands swallowed both of mine and I jumped, my eyes meeting his despite myself.

"This one is here, Karou-dono. Sano and Misao-san, even your friend Megumi-san, we are all here for you. This one is here to help you. To teach you, yes, but also to help you." Tears threatened to fall at his soft words but I ruthlessly pushed them back. I truly felt like I could trust this man, trust him far more than I had trusted anyone for a long time, but I would not let myself be weak. He and his friends would not be here forever. I couldn't allow myself to rely on them when I knew they would leave me eventually. _Just like everyone else who left me. I am always the one left behind_.

"Arigato, Himura-san. I appreciate what you and your friends are doing for me, I really do. But in the end, I have only myself. As soon as your job is done, you will return to wherever you call home. So will Zanza-san and Shinomori-san. Even Megumi has her family that she is looking for. So I must learn to deal with this on my own." I whispered, yanking my eyes away from his before I lost my resolve. His hands tightened on mine immediately and I tried not to notice how large they were, completely dwarfing my own. Carefully I pulled away and he reluctantly let me go, his eyes still trying to hold mine.

"Arigato gozaimashita and good night, Himura-san." He frowned at my very unsubtle hint but turned to leave as I laid down on the bed, rolling over so that my back was facing him. His slow deliberate footsteps paused at the door and it took considerable willpower to resist the temptation to turn and look at him.

"This one would offer just one piece of advice for you, Karou-dono. No one can truly be strong if they are alone. Personal experience has taught this one just how true this is." I sat up in surprise at the certainty and deep sorrow that was clear in his voice, but the door was already sliding shut behind him. Swallowing hard, I laid back down and buried my face in the pillow, trying very hard not to think about mysterious red-heads with bottomless eyes and a clearly painful past.

 **Kenshin** -

I walked down the hall to the spare room that we had rented from Dr. Gensai for the night, my head filled with dark thoughts about memories best left forgotten. Misao-san pounced on me the moment I slid the door open, jarring my mind from the past and back to the trouble at hand.

"Did you find her, Himura? I was so worried when I sensed her leaving her room, there are too many things in Tokyo for someone as new as her to be wandering around, what was she thinking?!" I laughed at the steady flow of words and peeled her off my shoulders so that I could close the door.

"Yes, Misao-san, I found her. She was doing Katas in the empty yard outside. She claimed she couldn't sleep." The small woman frowned, skipping over to an empty bed and plopping down on it while rubbing her chin thoughtfully with one hand.

"My informants have not checked in yet, so I still have no information on her yet, but something else must have been going on if she can't sleep even suffering the aftereffects of a Leech attack, Himura. We may find that this is much more complicated than it appears." She warned and I nodded, having already reached the same conclusion.

"No offense, guys, but I think Awakening at her age is enough to keep even the most level-headed person up at night, especially because of the Leech." Sanosuke drawled from where he was sprawled on another bed, his signature fish bone sticking out of his mouth. Misao-san snorted with contempt and jumped to her feet, her hands on her hips.

"Look, Mr. All-brawn-and-no-brain, think about it for a moment. She is the _Assistant_ _Master_ of a _Dojo_! Any woman with that level of skill and the guts to practice it openly wouldn't disrupt her physical recovery to do Katas outside in the middle of the night for no reason! Even more so after being attacked. Awakening at her age is harsh and confusing but she has already demonstrated a talent for calm that almost rivals Himura here. There must be something else on her mind on top of all this." She snarled and Sano rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Weasel. As you so graciously pointed out, I am the Brawn in this group." The smaller woman nearly went purple at the use of her most hated nickname and I sighed as she settled into a tirade that Sano wisely chose to ignore.

"Oro." I muttered as I sat down against the wall, the Sakabato leaning against my shoulder for a quick draw in case of an emergency. Thoughts of a certain dojo instructor filled my mind as I tried to think of what else could have happened to her to make her so determined to stand on her own.

 _"A lot has happened to me in the last year, Himura-san. Too much."_ I drifted off to sleep with her words running through my head.


End file.
